


Oceanic Tears

by KureKai_King



Category: Starry Palette (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Hugs, Kisses, M/M, Relief, Tears, crybaby Kaito, unexpected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-01-24 02:56:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18562486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KureKai_King/pseuds/KureKai_King
Summary: Kaito's finally got the weight taken off his shoulders, but now what does he do with himself? What becomes of his plans for stirRhythm? Of his residential status? Of...himself? Luckily, there's a certain first-year redhead on hand to take him under his wing.





	Oceanic Tears

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS for the end of Kaito's side story; this is based off that. And slightly Kureha's, too.

The first thing they noticed was the wetness in Kaito's eyes when he was returning to their group. His shoulders were slightly trembling and he tried to be subtle in biting his lower lip. His hands were curled into fists inside his pockets and the way he walked had a subtle stumble to it. Toma and Kureha knew something wasn't right with their friend, and they gave each other a concerned look. Kureha couldn't help himself, the first thing he did when Kaito stopped walking was to throw his arms around his neck and hug him as tight as he could without hurting him. 

"Kaito? Are you okay? What happened?"

"The orphanage, it's...it's got what it needs," his voice trembled as he spoke and he screwed his eyes shut as he hugged Kureha back, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. He felt Kureha lower his head to gently nuzzle his neck and he shuddered as he exhaled, "They managed to find someone who will...give them the funding they need. ...Without my...father..."

"That man  _isn't_ your father, Kaito," Kureha growled, "You know that," His tone then changed and Kaito could feel the smile press against his skin as he giggled a little, "Kaito, are you crying?"

"N-No! I told you before, I don't c-cry!"

Kureha pulled back and Kaito quickly drew up an arm to rub at his eyes. Toma just chuckled quietly to himself, which caught Kureha's attention. He covered his mouth to hide it when Kaito also peeked to give him a glare, but the pink-haired senior just couldn't hold it in and his chuckle increased slightly in volume.

"I was just thinking that Kaito was probably quite the crybaby when he was little, he is our youngest member of stirRhythm after all".

"Sh-Shut up!" Kaito shot back and dropped his arm, knowing his eyes were reddened from the rubbing, "I'm s-serious, I d-don't cry".

Kureha giggled as he wrapped his arms around Kaito's and shook his head, "Leave him alone Toma-senpai, otherwise he'll be grouchy again and he knows I don't like that. I just want him to be happy, that's all".

"Alright, alright, I get the hint," Toma held his hands up in defence, "I'll talk to you kids later, might as well go make sure the two local idiots aren't up to no good".

The two first-years watched him walk off toward where the rest of stirRhythm were grouped together before Kureha then turned to Kaito. The blue-haired boy met his eyes and let him read the swirling emotions he couldn't find the words to express. It was a way of communication that they had come to understand only with each other, and it helped whenever they had something to say and not want anyone else to know about.

"So, what happens now? If the orphanage got its funding and they no longer need... _him_...then what do you do? Your whole goal was to save the place you loved and called home..."

Kaito sighed, "I'm old enough to not need the orphanage now so they wouldn't let me stay there again even if I wanted to. As for him...he was only keeping me around so I could get the money. I always suspected he'd kick me out onto the streets once he got what he wanted. Even if he didn't, he's bound to leave me homeless anyway now they cut ties with him, since he never truly adopted me..."

Kureha frowned as he sought his brain for an answer to the new problem. Where could Kaito live? While they currently stayed within the school's dorms, that only gave them up until they reached the end of their third-year classes and graduated. And what about holidays and breaks where they were allowed to go home and see their families? There was no way Kureha could leave Kaito out there on his own with nowhere to go. Even if he did often prefer his own company, Kureha knew that Kaito needed him.

Then it hit him like waking up to the bright sunlight in the morning.

"Stay with me!" He exclaimed, looking up at Kaito with excited eyes.

"...Say what?" Kaito raised a brow.

"When they don't let us stay at the dorms, you can stay with me, I'm sure my mother would be more than happy to welcome you".

Kaito sighed after a short pause, "You've told her all about you and me, huh?" More of a statement than a question.

"Hehe, maybe~" Kureha teased, letting his grip go so he could begin bouncing from foot to foot excitedly, Kaito's eyes subtly following his movement, "It'll be so fun! And it'll mean I get to see you more and talk to you more and-  _Oh!_ You can have Kureha's room!"

Kaito blinked at that one. Did he just refer to himself in the third person? 

"Err, who's room now?"

"Kure- ...O-Oh, oops..." The centre of stirRhythm stopped his bouncing, hiding his hands behind his back and looked away at the floor guiltily.

Kaito crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head slightly, "Oops what? What are you hiding?" His brows furrowed when he received no reply, "Hoshino, answer me, what are you-"

"I'M NOT KUREHA!!"

That sudden outburst had Kaito's eyes widen, Kureha's hands cover his mouth, and the rest of the people currently in the hall turn their way. Great, now they had an audience. Luckily for Kaito, he reacted fast enough to grab his boyfriend's wrist and drag him outside through the double doors at the back by the stage.

Once outside, Kaito pushed Kureha against the wall almost roughly, holding him in place against the bricks with a hard stare and a firm grip on his shoulder. The redhead wouldn't - or rather, couldn't - look him in the eyes and his free hand curled into a fist hidden in a pocket.

"Well?" Kaito growled lightly, "If you're not Kureha, then who is? And who are you really?"

"...M-My real name is...Kaede... K-Kureha was...my brother..."

"Your brother? You mean this whole time you've lied to us? You've been using your  _dead brother's_ name instead? You even let me believe that I'd really-"

"You don't understand Kaito!"

"Then make me understand!"

Silence took ahold of the air around them. The redhead whimpered and shrugged Kaito's hand from his shoulder to step forward and wrap his arms around the other's torso, his body trembled as he leant against him but didn't dare to look Kaito in the eye. The blue-haired boy sighed heavily and held the redhead's shoulders, massaging them gently in an effort to comfort him. 

"I just wanted...to help him fulfil his dream, too..."

Kaito knew nothing more would need to come from the redhead's mouth other than that. He knew anything he, himself, said would not help their situation until he heard the boy in his arms almost whisper something he was thankful he didn't miss.

"Kaito...? Are we...still okay...?" Kure- Kaede whimpered, his fingers curling into the back of Kaito's shirt with the firmest grip Kaito had ever felt from him. Though he supposed, their relationship had always meant so much to Kaede, and he knew Kaito wouldn't give it up so easily, but he was still making sure since this reveal (what with everything going on already) was a pretty big and heavy hit.

"...Will you tell the truth to everyone else, too? They deserve to know who you really are, don't they?"

He felt Kaede nod in response and sighed, moving his hands from his shoulder and circle around his body and rub his back instead. The light trembles that he felt run down Kaede's spine made him a tad bit guilty. The young boy hadn't expected his secret to get out, and then again, Kaito hadn't expected to be finding somewhere else to live for quite some time. It was all a jumbled mess formed from a rush of outbursted emotions.

"Alright...Kaede," Kaito couldn't help but smile a little when Kaede looked up at him finally, a blush dusting across his cheeks and his surprised look changed into a soft little sheepish grin which had Kaito chuckle at just how adorable his boyfriend could be when they were alone and had their guard down more, "As much as I hate that you'd been lying about yourself the whole time, I love you much more than that to keep a grudge".

"I didn't think you'd even forgive me, ever...I'm sorry, Kaito".

"It's alright, so long as you come clean to everyone and tell us everything about why you did what you did. You'll be fine... And about your offer," Kaito kissed his forehead gently, "I might as well accept it since I don't really have any other options. But...thank you, for this...you'll never realise just how much this truly means to me".

Kaede smiled and nuzzled his way to be as close to Kaito as he could manage, arms wrapped around him tightly and a contented, muffled moan of appreciation sounded from him, "I love you so much, Kaito, I'm really happy when we're together. My mother's gonna love you, too, hehe, she says she's happy I managed to find someone who cares for me and won't hurt me. Because you wouldn't, right? I know you wouldn't, if you were truly the sort of person you make yourself out to be all the time then I wouldn't be with you like I am. So...I have something to thank you for as well, and I thought this was the best way to pay you back for it".

Kaito said nothing, just simply keeping Kaede cuddled close to his body, tucking his head beneath his chin and letting the soft red strands of hair tickle his skin. He didn't know what he could say. He'd (most likely) been made homeless, but had been given the offer to live with people who would truly care about his wellbeing. He had a group of friends he never expected to ever call his friends in the beginning, and they almost seemed as close as a family (or what he assumed family was to feel like, at least).  In his arms, he held the one person he'd let himself give his heart away to, and he felt lucky that Kaede seemed to have the same fears of separation as he did. Home...friends...family...and love. What more did he need?

"Hey," he eventually broke their comfortable silence, "How about we go out to lunch? All of us".

"Yeah, that sounds nice. I think it'll do everyone some good," Kaede shifted away from Kaito so he could pull back enough to lean up and kiss him on the lips. Soft, gentle, sweet and pouring all the innocence of their love into it as much as his lack of air would allow. It definitely wasn't the first time they'd kissed, but since Kaito now knew his lover's true name, it felt like that pleasant moment from standing beneath the glittering stars all over again.

* * *

Days had passed since then, and Kaito had comfortably settled with his new living arrangement. Kaede's mother was one of the nicest women he'd ever had the pleasure of meeting, and she promised him that she would not officially adopt him unless he wanted it - that, and it was less confusing since he was, after all, dating her own son. Kaede had never looked happier (as his mother had commented one night when she found the two cuddled together beneath a blanket, Kaede sound asleep on Kaito's lap), and he spent the first few nights by Kaito's side as his way of welcome and protection. He'd stated that if Kaito were to have a nightmare about his old home, then Kaede would be there to make sure he knew that part of his life was over and done with.

It had felt weird at first, staying in the room that once belonged to the brother of your boyfriend to whom you never got the chance to know, but he soon managed to relax about the whole idea with the nights he spent with said lover curled up against him in his arms. And Kaede loved to cuddle Kaito anytime he could. He enjoyed being able to hold his hand while freely walking down the streets, and to be dead excited about telling his extended family that Kaito wasn't just his friend, but his  _boyfriend._

Kaito never did quite understand it, but he was used to Kaede's hyperactive energy by this point, and he supposed it was just his immense excitement in showing off his partner. Kaede had not only gone back to using his true name, but he'd also let his usual side ponytail and braid fall out and left his hair in a more natural state; explaining sheepishly to Kaito that that had always been Kureha's look and not his own - to tell them apart as twins. Kaito guessed he could understand that, at the very least.

He never did hear from the real estate agent after moving out. He kept up with the orphanage, checking in from time to time to see how things were coming along. The progress and the positivity made him happier than he had been in a long time. And now he swore (as he told Kaede one night back in his dorm at the school), that he had only one goal in life; to become the best idol alongside the rest of stirRhythm. His friends.

Kaede had smiled with faint tears in his eyes that night, snuggling as close as he could and burying his face in Kaito's chest, and Kaito knew he was more than pleased with his word choice and way of viewing the others compared to before. Kaito had chuckled, kissed his head and lay there until both their breathing steadied out as slumber claimed them for the night.


End file.
